Last Stand
by StrawberryFields4EverAndAlways
Summary: Teddy Lupin finally gets an assignment in Professor Binns's class that he's sure he's going to ace.  But will he?  Oneshot.  Bookverse.


**Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Rowling. I only own what she did not first invent.**

Each sunbeam that glistened enticingly upon the surface of the lake seemed to be slapping Teddy Lupin in the face, mocking him for having to be inside this sweltering, miserable classroom, forced to listen to Professor Binns drone on and on about God knows what. If he didn't know it would be completely ineffective, Teddy would definitely have chucked his copy of "A History of Magic" at the teacher years before. Since he was aware of the fact that the old Bagshot tome would only go straight through Binns, Teddy had grown quite accustomed to tuning the ghostly pedagogue out and letting his mind wander.

He was just thinking of asking Victoire to meet him in the Charms corridor broom cupboard for a quick snog before dinner when the dry voice of Professor Binns suddenly broke through the white noise in Teddy's head.

"In preparation for your Ordinary Wizarding Level exams, I ask that you each write an essay, one roll of parchment in length, on a historical subject of your choice. The subject must have taken place within the past twenty-five years, and it is imperative that you stress the reasons why this subject has impacted your life."

Teddy Lupin's mind went into hyperdrive, the scholarly side of him (for which he had only his father to blame) practically tingling with excitement, already plotting out an essay that would be so brilliant, Professor Binns would take one look at it, and, completely awe-struck, bring it straight to Headmistress McGonagall herself, who would also find it brilliant and give Teddy an award for Special Services to the School.

Maybe not. Teddy always had a hell of an imagination.

When class let out, the fifth year Hufflepuff met with Victoire, a fourth year Gryffindor outside of Transfiguration, which she'd just left. Easily one of the prettiest girls at Hogwarts and having a good personality to match, Victoire made Teddy feel like a million Galleons on most days.

When Teddy finished excitedly explaining his idea to her, she frowned and said, "Are you sure that's what Binns is asking for? It seems awfully morbid."

Other days, Victoire made him feel like a single Knut. "If it's not," Teddy argued, "he's getting it anyway." Even though her infuriating levelheadedness put a slight damper on Teddy's mood, it didn't make their later snog in the broom cupboard any less enjoyable.

After dinner, Teddy settled down in the Hufflepuff Common Room, a cozy little space near the kitchens, and unrolled his parchment on the table in front of him. Taking a moment to muss his turquoise hair and nibble on the end of his quill, he got to work.

%%%

Last Stand

By Teddy Remus Lupin

The wizarding world lost many great people in the Battle of Hogwarts. There are very few people I know who cannot count anyone they love among the dead. I myself have never gotten to know my parents because they sacrificed their lives that night in June of 1998 in order to make the wizarding world a better place. Everything I know of my mum and dad has had to have been told to me. I only know that my father, Remus John Lupin, was a kind, quiet, incredibly intelligent man because friends of his told me he was. I only know that my mother, Nymphadora Tonks, was a lively, spunky, extraordinary woman because friends of hers told me she was. They also told me what became of them, and these are the minutes that changed my life forever.

My mum wasn't supposed to go into battle that night. She was supposed to stay with me, at my gran's house. But she was a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and she couldn't stand to sit around and wait for my dad to come home, if he would come home, that is. As soon as she arrived at Hogwarts, she asked around until she figured out where my dad was. Just as she stepped onto the school grounds, which were then little more than killing fields by then, my mum watched as my dad's dueling opponent, infamous Death Eater Antonin Dolohov, cast a Killing Curse that hit my father square in the chest. He was dead before he hit the ground. People who were there say they will never forget my mum's agonized scream. She charged Dolohov, shouting "Avada Kedavra" at the twisted-faced man who had killed my father only moments before.

Dolohov dead, Mum crouched beside Dad's body and wept, momentarily forgetting her old mentor, Mad-Eye Moody's motto, "Constant Vigilance." She heard laughter behind her and turned, finding my great-aunt, dangerous madwoman Bellatrix Lestrange, standing over her. "My little niece," she taunted, "All grown up and using Unforgiveable Curses. How sweet. Mind if I have a go, now?"

My mum looked Bellatrix right in the eyes, looking completely defeated. "Please," she said. "Please just let me die. I don't want to live without him."

Bellatrix sneered and dispatched the little blood traitor that had disgraced the family by marrying a werewolf. My parents' bodies were found as they fell, right beside each other.

The Battle of Hogwarts claimed more lives than those of Remus and Dora Lupin, of course, but none of the other deaths mean quite as much to me as those two. Yes, Nymphadora Tonks was a widow for all of one minute, but I have been an orphan for almost all of my life. Generally speaking, the sacrifices that all of the fallen warriors made for the greater good made a profound impact on all of our lives today. With Lord Voldemort's defeat, there came peace that has allowed my generation to make steps towards a better future."

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When Teddy got his essay back from Binns, the dreary phantom had marked the paper as such: "A- Acceptable. Not precisely what I was looking for, Mr. Lupin. Very morbid, and this is coming from a ghost."

Teddy groaned. He hated when Victoire was right.


End file.
